Full Transcript for Stop Procrastinating

resonate for most. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:08.479 Fear of failure shows up as a worry about how a new piece of content will be received. 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:13.360 Lack of motivation creeps in when you're exhausted after back-to-back client calls. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:19.360 Perfectionism keeps you tweaking your social posts instead of hitting publish. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:24.560 Anxiety about making the wrong decision can keep you stuck in research mode. 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:34.879 And adding to that, constant distractions, emails, other people's social media, urgent requests, and procrastination becomes default. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:38.960 So let's look at procrastination versus productive avoidance. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:45.039 One reason procrastination is hard to spot is it often feels like productive work. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.360 As I said, productive avoidance. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:04:01.919 You're doing something that feels helpful, like comparing CRM systems or reading another article about the housing or the mortgage market, but you're dodging the high impact tasks that actually moves your business forward. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:10.879 For brokers, productive avoidance might be researching for a new perfect CRM instead of reaching out to past clients. 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:16.720 It might be agonizing over that brand colour instead of posting that video content. 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:23.199 It might be reformatting your terms of business instead of recording a short social reel. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:31.360 A key test to this is to ask yourself: is this task directly linked to revenue, client service, or long-term growth? 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:35.040 If not, you may be avoiding something deeper. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:38.160 Perfectionism is often the culprit. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:48.240 As I've said in an episode of the Morning Mindset podcast quite some time ago, chasing perfection can lead to disappointment, procrastination, and even burnout. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:57.040 When we hold ourselves to impossible standards, we risk getting trapped in self-criticism instead of taking imperfect action. 00:04:57.279 --> 00:04:59.519 So, how do you break the procrastination loop? 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:03.680 Well, the good news is procrastination is a pattern that you can change. 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:05.040 But how do you go about that? 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:07.519 The first thing to do is shrink the first step. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:17.360 The hardest part of meaningful work is starting out to lower the mental barrier, shrink the first step until it feels almost too small to resist. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:22.879 Instead of saying, I need to record next month's social content, start with just one. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:27.279 Instead of sort of saying I need to review my business plan, start with something basic. 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:34.879 Even just opening the document and having a look at it, you could also anchor tiny actions to existing routines. 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:36.879 And that also works as well. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:40.160 The next thing to do is set clear deadlines and accountability. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:46.000 Without deadlines, tasks expand to fill the space that you have given them. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:50.000 If you've been meaning to update your website for months, set a deadline. 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:54.399 I'll publish the new about page by Friday at three o'clock. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:56.959 Pair that deadline with accountability. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:05.120 Tell a colleague, mentor, even a partner or a spouse, and ask them to check in with you to see if you've done what you said you were going to do. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:11.920 When someone else is waiting for your work, it's harder to quietly extend the timeline. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:15.040 And then design your environment for focus. 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:17.439 Your surroundings influence your behavior. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:27.120 People working at messy desks feel more mentally drained and take longer to complete tasks than those who work on an orderly desk. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:33.439 Clear your workspace, close unnecessary browser tabs, put your phone out of reach. 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:42.560 Creating a consistent setup, specific lighting, background music, or playlist signals to your brain that it's time now to focus. 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.120 And then make your progress visible. 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:49.680 Progress is a real powerful motivator, but only if you can see it. 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:59.519 Break projects into small steps you can complete within an hour or so or a day at a time and track them with a whiteboard or a simple checklist. 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:06.639 Watching tasks move from to-do to done gives you momentum and shows you where you need to adjust. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:11.759 You then need to guard your energy and understand that multitasking is a myth. 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:15.120 Switching between tasks comes with mental costs. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:20.560 It takes your time, takes time for your brain to re-immerse itself into the original task. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:27.120 Plan your most important work when you are naturally most alert, which is often the first part of the day. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:33.279 Protect those blocks by silencing notifications and checking email on a schedule. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:35.120 And when you're tired, take a break. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:39.759 Stepping away can give you that fresh idea and improve your focus. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:43.759 And you can also automate or delegate low-value tasks. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:47.519 Admin work can be like a procrastination magnet. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:52.639 You avoid high-value work because you feel obliged to clear your inbox first. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:08:01.600 Use tools like your CRM automation, scheduling apps or AI assistance

to help handle repetitive tasks. 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:07.360 Freeing yourself up from busy work makes it easy to start work that actually matters. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:11.680 Delegate to support staff or outsource help when you can. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:16.000 And the last thing is reward momentum and celebrate those small wins. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:18.399 Positive reinforcement strengthens habits. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:22.800 When you finish a difficult task, something you've been putting off for a long time, reward yourself. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:26.079 It doesn't matter what that reward looks like, but you reward yourself. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:28.800 It's just important to make sure you feel rewarded. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:33.759 Celebrating the small wins builds confidence and motivates you to keep going. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:36.399 And we need to be building habits that last. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:40.080 Our last few episodes have emphasized on discipline and routines. 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:43.600 Habits are the antidote to prolonged firefighting. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.960 Regular morning routines sets the tone for your day. 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:54.000 Time blocking your calendar creates a rhythm for strategy, client calls, marketing, and rest too. 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:55.039 That's important. 00:08:55.200 --> 00:09:01.840 I recommend daily planning, time blocking, using a CRM for reminders and taking regular breaks. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:08.320 When you time block your day, your week, and commit to routines, there's less room for procrastination. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:12.080 Habits also help you stay visible when life gets hectic. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:21.200 If you can't create fresh content, repurpose a snippet from an old post or share a client story or share a client recent review. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:23.120 The key is consistency. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:26.960 Your audience doesn't need new ideas every single day. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:30.720 They just need regular reminders that you are there to help. 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:33.600 So let's look at progress over perfection. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:37.279 At the heart of procrastination is often perfectionism. 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:41.600 Striving for flawlessness leads to procrastination and burnout. 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:45.120 The cure is to embrace progress over perfection. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:53.120 Instead of obsessing over the perfect video or blog post, focus on delivering value and improving with feedback. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.679 Your first attempt doesn't have to be perfect. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:57.360 It will never be your best. 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:59.200 It just has to be published. 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:02.559 Refuse to label yourself as a procrastinator. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:05.919 Shrink the tasks, lower the barriers, take the first step. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:11.440 If perfectionism creeps in, remind yourself that done is better than perfect. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.000 And if you fall back into old habits, practice self-compassion. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:18.879 Every day is a chance to begin again. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:31.039 So just to wrap up on the key takeaways from this week's podcast, procrastination often hides as productive avoidance, tweaking manner details instead of doing the work that counts. 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:36.960 It's driven by fear of failure, lack of motivation, perfectionism, and anxiety. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:52.240 Break the cycle by shrinking the first step, setting deadlines with accountability, designing your environment for focus, making progress visible, single tasking, automating low-value tasks and rewarding momentum. 00:10:52.399 --> 00:11:00.720 Habits like time blocking, daily planning reduce decision fatigue and keeps you visible even when the market is chaotic. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:02.559 And let go of perfectionism. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:05.919 Progress is far more important than perfection. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:11.519 And as always, remember your why, the reason you became self-employed in the first place. 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:14.480 You don't have to overhaul everything all at once. 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:20.240 Choose one area where you've been procrastinating and commit to a tiny step today. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:21.200 So that's it. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:22.720 That's this week's podcast. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:24.000 Thanks for listening. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:28.720 If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe, please share it, please leave a review. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:30.480 We really appreciate it. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:34.720 And as always, please don't forget to run your own race.